Committee for the Economy
Minutes of Proceedings 4 December 2024
Committee for the Economy minutes of proceedings 4 December 2024.pdf (194.12 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 30, Parliament Buildings, Stormont
Present:
Mr Phillip Brett MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA
Mr David Honeyford MLA
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA
Ms Kate Nicholl MLA
Present via Video-Conferencing:
Mr Gary Middleton MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Diana Armstrong MLA
Mr Pádraig Delargy
Mr Philip McGuigan MLA
In Attendance:
Peter McCallion (Assembly Clerk)
Anthea Matthews (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Karen O’Hare (Clerical Supervisor)
Michael Doran (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced in public session at 10:03am.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
2. Declarations of Interest
David Honeyford declared an interest in that his business is a member of the Federation of Small Businesses NI.
3. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson advised the Committee that as previously agreed he had met with a representative of the Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space (ADS) industries (ADS) on Tuesday 3 December 2024.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department in respect of the sectoral action plans; seeking clarity as to why the views of ADS were not sought and encouraging officials to involve ADS in the development of the cluster strategy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to undertake a visit to an aerospace site in the new year.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the Economy Committee meeting of 27 November 2024.
5. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
6. Impact of Chancellor’s Budget Statement - Federation of Small Businesses NI, Hospitality Ulster, Retail NI.
Witnesses joined the meeting at 10:05am.
- Roger Pollen, Head of the Federation of Small Businesses NI;
- Colin Neill, CEO, Hospitality Ulster; and
- Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Retail NI.
Key issues discussed included: a RaISe paper on the Chancellor’s statement; living wage and national insurance issues; pressures on the small business, hospitality and retail sectors; business support comparison with RoI and England; SAMBIT, prompt payment, capital decision-making, VAT and rates relief; Windsor Framework; training for the hospitality sector; impact of the Good Jobs Bill; the way forward for the High Street Taskforce; increasing labour competition; incentivising business growth; relevant Barnett consequentials; and DfE engagement.
Jonathan Buckley joined the meeting at 10:22am
Gary Middleton made a Declaration of Interest as a former junior minister involved in the development of the High Street Taskforce recommendations.
Gary Middleton left the meeting at 11:20am.
Philip McGuigan recorded his dismay that the Finance Minister’s rates paper had not been considered by the Executive.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses their evidence.
The witnesses left the meeting at 12:24pm.
Proceedings were suspended at 12:24pm
Proceedings resumed at 12:31pm
7. UU EPC – Business Dynamism and Job Creation
Witnesses joined the meeting at 12:31pm.
- Gareth Hetherington, Director, Economic Policy Centre, Ulster University; and
- Dr Karen Bonner, Principal Economist, Economic Policy Centre, Ulster University.
Key issues discussed included: business births and deaths, job creation; productivity measures/targets and links to innovation and investment in R&D; Go Succeed, business innovation grants and Founder Labs initiatives; vocational training paths; leadership and management in NI firms; additional capital expenditure to promote business growth; and regional balance.
Philip McGuigan left the meeting at 1:14pm.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their evidence.
The witnesses left the meeting at 1:34pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Ulster University EPC and invite witnesses to provide evidence on regional balance; and seeking commentary on measuring productivity in the public sector.
Agreed: Further to the previous evidence session, the Committee agreed to write to the Department in respect of the use of Small and Micro Business Impact (SAMBIT) assessments in developing policy interventions etc..
Agreed: Further to the previous evidence session, the Committee agreed to write to the Department of Finance in respect of: prompt payment, capital decision-making, VAT research and hotel/pub covid rates relief.
8. Correspondence
8.1 Index
Noted: The Committee noted an index of incoming correspondence.
8.2 Ministerial response: Industrial Tribunals - LiPs with Disabilities
Noted: The Committee noted a Ministerial response in respect of the treatment of Litigants in Person (LiPs) with a disability at employment / industrial tribunals. The Committee noted that: a regular tribunal user group is reportedly already in place; a business case is in development to provide data on tribunal cases; and the Department is also to commission research into tribunal user experience.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to Disability Action.
8.3 President of the Industrial Tribunals Response - LiPs with Disabilities
Noted: The Committee noted a response from the President of the Industrial Tribunals and the Fair Employment Tribunal contending that reasonable adjustments are always made for claimants with a disability and that the equal treatment bench book is employed by tribunal judges.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to Disability Action.
8.4 Departmental Staff Vacancies
Noted: The Committee noted a Departmental response on staff vacancies.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Committee for Finance.
8.5 Tuition Fees and Maintenance Loans
Noted: The Committee noted a Departmental response on tuition fees and maintenance loans, pending a DfE brief on 11 December 2024 on related matters.
8.6 Regional Property Programme / FDI
Noted: The Committee noted a Departmental response providing further information on the Regional Property Programme and on FDI and whether investors were site specific or site agnostic.
8.7 Gas Safety Management Regulations
Noted: The Committee noted a consultation for the revision of the Gas Safety Management Regulations (NI) 1997.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek feedback from the Department on the consultation responses.
8.8 Renewable Energy Mapping
The Committee noted a Departmental response in respect of renewable energy mapping.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department again seeking publication dates for the Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan and the Strategic Environmental Assessment and the Habitats Regulation Assessment.
8.9 DfE Annual Report & Accounts
Noted: The Committee noted a notice of further delays to the publication of the 2023-24 annual report and accounts for DfE.
8.10 DfE capital investment report for November 2024
Noted: The Committee notedthe DfE capital investment report for November 2024.
8.11 QUB 5-year capital spending
Noted: The Committeenoted QUB information on 5-years of capital spending.
8.12 Public Sector Policy Development
Noted: The Committee noted a copy of a letter from the Communities Committee to DfE, requesting clarity on public sector policy development, including transformation plans etc..
8.13 NICS transformation proposals
Noted: The Committeenoted details of NICS transformation proposals including post-19 SEN.
8.14 Older People’s Parliament: draft PfG
Noted: The Committee noted the Older People’s Parliament’s response to the consultation on the draft Programme for Government.
8.15 Law Society NI: Car Insurance
Noted: The Committee notedcorrespondence from the Law Society NI in respect of the claims made by the Association of British Insurers relating to the reasons for higher motor insurance claim costs in NI.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the Committee for Justice.
8.16 Grid Connection Charges
Noted: The Committee noted a joint press release from the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA) and the Construction Employers’ Federation (CEF) regarding the Utility Regulator’s approval for NIE to increase grid connection charges for new build houses in 2025.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Utility Regulator seeking clarity in respect of grid connection policy and the socialisation of charges.
8.17 UK Finance 2025 Training Programme.
Noted: The Committee noted information on the UK Finance 2025 training programme.
8.18 Renewable Heat Association NI
Noted: The Committeenoted an invitation from the Renewable Heat Association NI for a meeting, apparently with DfE and the Committee on 9 December to discuss the RHI rebate tariff.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to decline the invitation.
9. Forward Work Programme
Noted: The Committee noted its Forward Work Programme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to make informal enquiries with the Chairperson of the Education Committee in respect of the timing of a joint concurrent session.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to Dundalk Institute of Technology seeking a response to previous correspondence in respect of cross-border working.
10. Any Other Business
Kate Nicholl reminded Members of the formation of a new All Party Group on the use of data in policy-making.
There was no other business.
11. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next Economy Committee meeting is scheduled to begin on Wednesday 11 December 2024 at 10:00am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
12. Committee Strategic Plan
Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer consideration of its strategic plan.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:40pm.
Phillip Brett MLA
Chairperson, Committee for the Economy
11 December 2024
